Organizations that want to move to higher levels of performance and exceed desired results need to have alignment of their key organizational systems. But what does it mean to be “in alignment”? Alignment occurs when the key organizational systems are in place and these interdependent systems are supporting one another. When these systems are working […]

Life at the top is pretty tough for today’s business executives. Unfortunately, it is only going to get tougher. While the stock market continues to see positive trends, other indicators such as consumer confidence, the housing market and unemployment continue to present mixed signals. Customers, shareholders, employees and competitors are all placing greater demands upon […]

Working as a team leader can be challenging. There are so many pieces that need to come together in order to create an efficient work environment. Leaders are specially prepared for certain issues in executive leadership training, but there are still many unexpected issues that arise in the workplace. For example, social loafing and group […]

While most of us will give lip service to feedback there is a deep tendency to shrink away from being told anything that smacks of negativity. Out loud we usually say “Thanks for telling me, I’ll look into your comments” while internally the thought is: “Who do you think you are, that’s just the way […]

Inspire confidence in others to command respect and loyalty. Developing the self belief and confidence needed to be a leader. One of the best ways to measure success is to look at ourselves through the eyes of others. Are we looked up to? Are we respected? Some of us are leaders, others are followers. The […]

I was at a client’s company last week and heard a brief hallway conversation as I was waiting for my lunch appointment. The gist of what was said sounded like two people in a war torn country. “I bought lots of canned goods that were on sale just in case I lose my job” said […]

In difficult economic times it is easy to let go of standards and take on a client who does not fit your vision of your ideal client. When few clients are in the pipeline it often looks attractive to take the ones that show up. When you do this you run the risk of having […]

What’s a mindset? It’s a way of looking at the world, at a situation, or at ourselves. It’s a set of assumptions that guides our actions. For example, a mindset in the US that electricity is a relatively cheap, abundant, safe, and reliable resource leads us to reach for a light switch when we walk […]

There are two kinds of leadership power in organizations: positional power and personal power. The people with positional power are the ones with titles: CEO, Vice President, Director, Manager, etc. Others in the organization may not have titles, but have the charisma, relationships, and influence that draw others to them and help them get things […]

Running a business isn’t just about earning or losing profit. It isn’t just about how good your machines are or about how good the employees are. All the things that the owner has to face are interrelated and one thing can’t just be left out because it will affect the whole business. We all know […]